Ink and Riffs: Vampires, ghosts and debut albums, oh my!

Ink and Riffs is a regular review series written by me, Citywide Co-Host Max Bowen, to talk about what I’m reading and listening to. Send suggestions to citywidemax@yahoo.com. 

“Impact Winter” (Audiobook)
I came across this audiobook series one day and thought “Why the hell not?” And damn, am I glad I did.

From executive producers of The Walking Dead and Travis Beacham, the writer of Pacific Rim, this Audible Original is set in the near future and seven years since a comet hit the earth and blotted out the sun. The world is a dark, frozen landscape. And then, beastly creatures emerge and take over. Can they really be vampires?

This series includes an absolutely amazing cast, plus great music and sound effects. The voice cast is really good, and clearly experienced. They really dive into their roles and owned them right from the beginning. The music, which includes full songs from different bands, sets the scenes perfectly and the sound effects paint a very complete picture.

The story is very well-written and the twists and turns keep you hooked. I’ve finished the first two volumes and am currently on the third one now, and really looking forward to how the story ends.


“Say Something” by Ashley Elle (Music)
Ashley Elle’s first EP, released last December, came to my attention through my Blackout Collection playlist. “Conditions” was on the playlist and I decided to check out the rest of the album.

Ashley has such a great voice and it really flows through songs like “They Always Come Back” and the title track. This folk/pop artist has released a number of singles since 2021 and “Say Something” is her first album release, so I suppose it’s fair to say she’s still in the early stages of her music career. If this album is any indication, she’s got a bright future ahead of her.

This seven-track album showcases a lot of Ashley’s versatility within the genres. “Falling” has a pretty upbeat sound while “Save Us” is more mellow. “October” is one of my favorites. This has a very layered folk sound that drew me right in. That’s something I really like about this album—the music really varies song to song, and we see the range that Ashley works with.

Overall, this album has a lot to offer, and I hope there’s a lot more to come.


“Grammaton Punch” (Comic)
I’ve talked about this comic before in a previous Citywide Blackout episode, back when it was first released. Written by Miles Gunter, with art by Briane Andan, colors by Lee Loughridge and letters by Taylor Esposito, this limited series is available on ComiXology and definitely worth reading. Here’s a look at the story.

“Born on an eclipse, Van Nguyen has the ability to see ghosts that feed off the energy of unsuspecting adults. Unfortunately being "extra" makes him a target for these evil spirits but what he soon realizes is- Van can fight back.”

This series is sharp, witty and very human in its delivery. Van is a great hero, not because he’s always winning, but because he has plenty of challenges that he has difficulty overcoming. You feel a lot for the guy, especially in one part that you need to see for yourself.

The art is just brilliant, with a wide range of colors, varied and unique designs for all the characters and detailed scenes that are worth a second look. I loved all the designs for the ghosts and each one stood well on its own.

“Grammaton Punch” is a great—and often dark—ride into a world where punching ghosts in the face is just plain awesome.

Five By Five: From fandom to first novel, C.L. Kelley explores the world of vampires in “Corpus”

By Max Bowen

As the old saying goes, write what you know.

C.L. Kelley is a longtime fan of vampires and in her debut book, “Corpus,” (Torrid Waters, Aug. 16) she puts her own mark on the genre. Here’s a look at what’s in store.

Nameless, powerful beings, lost in their hunger and forgotten pasts, roam the streets after sunset. But an awakening stirs within them, sharpening their minds and unearthing memories of a dark history and an even darker future.

This chilling foray into vampire fiction pits the hunter against the hunted in a world brimming with supernatural horror and action. The plot thickens with the presence of shapeshifters, adding layers of unpredictability to the already tense atmosphere. Even the seasoned monster hunters find themselves outmatched by these evolving adversaries. The once comforting break of dawn no longer signifies safety.

C.L. Shares what inspired the story, as well as how the vast world of vampires helped (or hindered) the writing process. She talks about some favorite scenes as well as the role of the monster hunters.

You’ve got a pretty complex story here. Did it change much from the initial concept?
The overall concept of the story stayed the same, but what changed was the scope. I don't think I understood how tricky it would be to juggle multiple POVs that were all alien minds whose motivations would be removed from normal humans. I also had to make sure I gave each of the vampire characters distinct personality traits within their inhumanity that would still be relatable, while still not making them too sympathetic. It also became a lot more action-oriented with each rewrite, which is not something I usually gravitate toward, but as someone who enjoys plenty of video games and action movies, was very fun to write.

What about the vampire theme made this your choice for a debut novel?
I've always been interested in vampires, and when I conceived the story, the world was fresh off the popularity of the “Twilight” franchise, and going back even further than that, “Interview with the Vampire.” I wanted to take vampires back to their roots as barely sapient grave things. The film “Near Dark” was a solid touchstone for me. Although my vampires are more explicitly supernatural, I liked how the film showed vampires as dirty drifters who fundamentally could not function in society or hide what they were for very long. And then I wanted to build them up from there, make them evolve into something greater and more dangerous.

Vampire fiction has had so many different stories over the years. Was that a help or a hindrance with your book?
It was a help in that I had a lot of rich inspiration to draw from, and it was a hindrance in that I didn't want to retread old ground or do something that someone else had already done better. I had read a LOT of vampire fiction over the years, and I had also watched a lot of films. I knew that it would be a fool's errand to try and create something that was completely free of those influences, but I wanted to say something that I felt at the very least had not been said before. I wanted to explore different corners of the “vampire's experience,” so to speak. What was it like to lose your identity? Your sense of community and bodily integrity? And how could you get those back in a way that wasn't the old way, but working with the new you?

Is there a favorite scene?
I have a few, and I'll try to word them in a way that won't give too much away. The introduction of the female vampire is a favorite, in that it operates almost like it's own self-contained mini-story. I like the first look we get at one of the vampires' lairs and how he collects his trophies. All the action sequences were a blast. I felt like a kid playing with my action figures again! I'm particularly proud of the climax, because that was tricky to write and it required a lot of work.

Who are the monster hunters in the book and what role will they play?
We quickly find out in our story that the monster hunters aren't the “good guys” but neither are they “bad guys” either. Just like the vampires, they operate within their own code of morality and what is considered a “good” outcome for their actions. With each rewrite, I expanded these characters more and more, giving them each their own quirks and powers, while still keeping them mysterious figures from the point of view of the vampires. Coming up with all the insidious ways they've worked to counteract different vampire abilities was enjoyable, especially as a long time superhero nerd who had plenty of “which power would beat who?” conversations.

He’s back! Jon Merz returns to talk vampire books and the changing industry

It seems like he was just here, but nevertheless, we welcome back Jon Merz, this time to talk about his lengthy writing career. Standing above his many, many titles has to be the Lawson Vampire Series, now being developed into a television pilot. This series began with the first book, “The Fixer” in 2002. Now, 35 books later, it’s still going strong.

Jon and I dive into the story behind the story, how it all kicked off and why it was originally intended to be just one book. Things changed, however, and we look at the expansion of the series and the different adventures the main character has been on.

Speaking of which, meet Lawson: vampire by birth, Fixer by trade. His mission: preserve the secret existence of living vampires by any means necessary. Jon and I take a walk through the vampire world, Lawson’s role in it and how he’s changed over 20 years.

It's no secret that writing today is a very different industry. An author can’t expect to make it with just print or even e-books, and Jon shares some of his insight and what led him to pursue different avenues to make his writing career pay off.

May 5, 2016: The Head/Corey Rodrigues/Eternal Embrace/Ruby Rose Fox

Max, Gina, and Corey Rodrigues

This week was a huge one! Author Gina House begins her co-host residency and does an absolutely awesome job! Plus, Matt Zappa comes back to join the show in between touring with Math the Band and recording new music!

Jack Shaw of The Head joins us to talk about the band's 80-spot tour that they just did over the last few months. They did this all on their own, and that's a real testament to what DIY can accomplish. Now that the tour has been put to bed, they're working on a new 13-song album.

Comedian Corey Rodrigues is far more than a funny personality. He's done a lot of work in film and music videos, and is always working towards that next big milestone. He shares some of his experiences on stage and a few brain-teasers.

Ethan Peasley is the author of the vampire-themed books "Immortal Touch" and "Eternal Embrace." He's been a reader of vampire lore and hopes to bring the genre back to its roots that made it so good in the first place.

Ruby Rose Fox is a name that's well known in Boston and for good reason! The band has put on some stellar shows over the years, and now have a debut EP to release later this month. Ruby shares some of the personal tales behind these new songs and we play a few of them.